A wind of controversy has been blowing in our society due to multiple video games that have questionable underlying messages. One new game in the spotlight today is Grand Theft Auto V.
Although I am not typically involved in the video game world, I am willing to voice my thoughts on the topic.

First of all, is playing this game endorsing it? I personally don't believe that if I were to see someone playing this game and I were to try it out that I would have to believe that violence, even in a virtual world, is acceptable. When it becomes someone's desire to afflict pain on virtual people by playing the game, then I think that that action is being endorsed. When playing this game becomes a lifestyle and a habit, I think that it is more of a heart issue than when playing was just a means of seeing what the game was.

Next, what do you get from playing it? I think that while even this game could be fun for a while, that it is dangerous to satisfy our desire for vengeance or theft or murder through the game. I think that this game could cause us to give up Christ's healing of these dark areas in us and rather kindle the fires of our sinful nature.

Next, who in your life in playing? I think that teens get easily jaded when it comes to these games because they see people they love, respect, and are friends with playing them. What seems like something funny-- a way to bond and spend time with their buddies-- can actually be something much more without teens even realizing it. I don't necessarily think that playing this game occasionally will pull people out of the real world, but if it consumes a person's thoughts and a majority of their time, it could be a detriment to that person's family, friend, and spiritual life.

Fourth, do you know when to quit? When it comes to playing any video game, you have to know how much is too much. I don't really agree with the playing of this game if the scenes that appear are incapable of positive influence on a person. I think that playing a game like this could quickly become an obstacle for an individual as it becomes a priority or a hobby.

Lastly, should Christians who are indwelt by Jesus Christ have moral issues with killing people in a virtual world? I think that as Christians, people should be concerned with the message that this game projects. I don't think that cruelly killing people-- even virtual ones-- paints a correct image of who Christ is, the Giver of life. Because Christians are one with Christ, I believe that we should project His Love to the world, even in subtle ways such as this. Although, I think it is just as important to be careful in our tendency to judge or separate ourselves from those who do choose to play this game. Condemning those with play GTA V isn't a good way to share Christ's Love either.